15. Seeing therefore it is plain that our Saviour hath committed to, or rather not taken away from _princes_, and those who in each city have obtained the sovereignty, the supreme authority of judging and determining all manner of controversies about _temporal_ matters; we must see henceforth to whom he hath left the same authority in matters _spiritual_. Which because it cannot be known, except it be out of _the word of God_ and _the tradition of the Church_, we must enquire in the next place what _the word of God is_, what _to interpret it_, what a _Church_ is, and what _the will and command of the Church_. To omit that the _word of God_ is in Scripture taken sometimes for the _Son of God_, it is used three manner of ways. First, most properly for that which God hath spoken. Thus, whatsoever God spake unto Abraham, the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets, our Saviour to his disciples, or any others; is _the word of God_. Secondly, whatsoever hath been uttered by men on the motion or by command of the Holy Ghost; in which sense we acknowledge the Scriptures to be the _word of God_. Thirdly, in the New Testament indeed, the _word of God_ most frequently signifies the doctrine of the gospel, or the _word concerning God_, or _the word of the kingdom of God_ by Christ. As where it is said (Matth. iv. 23) that Christ preached the _gospel of the kingdom_: where the apostles are said to preach _the word of God_ (Acts xiii. 46): where the _word of God_ is called _the word of life_ (Acts v. 20): _of the word of the gospel_ (Acts xv. 7): _the word of faith_ (Rom. x. 8): _the word of truth_, that is to say, (adding an interpretation) _the gospel of salvation_, (Eph. i. 13): and where it is called _the word of the apostles_; for St. Paul says (2 Thess. iii. 14): _If any man obey not our word_, &c. Which places cannot be otherwise meant than of _the doctrine evangelical_. In like manner, where the word of God is said to be _sown_, _to increase_, and _to be multiplied_ (Acts xii. 24: and xiii. 49): it is very hard to conceive this to be spoken of the _voice of God_ or _of his apostles_; but of their doctrine, easy. And in this third acception is all that _doctrine of the Christian faith_, which at this day is preached in pulpits and contained in the books of divines, _the word of God_. [Sidenote: All things contained in the Scripture, belong not to the canon of Christian faith.]